Dual-threat juco quarterback commits to WVU, expects to enroll in January

Skylar Howard threw for 3,151 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions at Riverside (Calif.) Community College this season. The 6-foot freshman also ran for 343 yards with five touchdowns.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For the third time in 16 months, West Virginia received a commitment from a dual-threat quarterback as Skyler Howard of Riverside (Calif.) City College pledged to the Mountaineers on Sunday.

Howard plans to enroll in January and will join four-star prospect William Crest of Baltimore-Dunbar in West Virginia’s 2014 signing class. It appears WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson are committed to recruiting more mobile quarterbacks. Don’t forget that the Mountaineers’ 2013 class included dual-threat quarterback Chavas Rawlins (who promptly transferred to Duquesne and moved to receiver.)

Howard, who began his career last summer as a walk on at Stephen F. Austin before transferring to Riverside during the preseason, will have four years to play three at WVU. He doesn’t own many big-time offers — Northern Colorado and New Mexico State were also in contention—but arm strength and 4.6 speed has Howard drawing interest from Virginia Tech and San Diego State. Riverside coach Tom Craft recently told The Riverside Press-Enterprise he expected Howard will receive offers from Cal and Utah.

“Howard definitely will have every opportunity to compete for the job once he enrolls in January, depending on how he adjusts and translates to the college game,” said senior writer Keenan Cummings of WVSports.com. “He brings some intangibles to the table that is lacking with the current group. His decision-making was excellent this year—he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes.”

JCGridiron.com ranked the 6-foot-tall Howard as its No. 4 dual-threat junior college quarterback in the Class of 2014.

“He is not necessarily a scrambler, but Howard can extend plays with his feet and run the ball when necessary,” Cummings said. “He does a good job getting the football out of his hands to the playmakers around him and, overall, this is a quality add for WVU this late in the process, especially given the early commitment nature of the quarterback position.”

Allan Taylor

Allan Taylor joined MetroNews in August 2012, following 18 years of newspaper, magazine and multimedia work as an SEC columnist, sports editor, assistant sports editor, managing editor, news reporter and media consultant.

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Comments

AC

Also next season wvu have the best chance to make it in the final 4 because bama is the first on the schedule

AC

December 21, 2013 at 8:59 pm |

AC

I will be walking on at wvu as a qb in the spring, my game is similar to johnny manziels, I have never played organized football, but I have been studying film since june. I have been working out and will continue. I'm putting in all my heart and effort towards this program which I think it lacks. As unreal as it sounds, I think I have the best chance to take wvu to the new 4 team playoff this year and hope to satisfy fans that have been waiting and suffering. Keep an eye out for me.

AC

December 21, 2013 at 7:55 pm |

Truthteller

This guy looks like he has something Ford and Millard don't seem to have athletics and a brain.
We need to get some strong athletics receivers.
We have boys who are afraid to be men right now.
WVU needs to get big tall receivers that are hungry for that ball and will lay out for the catch act like scared little girls that we have now.

December 17, 2013 at 3:10 pm |

Frank / Moundsville

7 JUCO commits? The program is in shambles and these are just band aids. You build a program with 4 year recruits and redshirts.............not JUCO transfers...........smells of desperation to me.

December 13, 2013 at 6:57 am |

tw eagle

it's possible that the "light" has finally turned on in Holgerson's thinking pot . . . it's gonna take 5 consecutive years of good recruiting on the O line ( and the accumulated experience) in the XII till WVU can safely play
an immobile QB as a full time starter . . . like the big easy , where WVU "grew" to know their annual conference opponents , they need time to learn the "habits" of their new
partners . . .

I hope Howard and Crest work the same magic that the " snake and the stud " did for WVU a decade ago . . .

December 12, 2013 at 1:10 pm |

OKANYDAY

With all due respect to all of our WVU fans who care about our football program and our future; Dana Holgosen is NOT head coaching material whatsoever. He does NOT know how to get a team ready during the week, and have them at their peak to play on game day. He does NOT know how to manage a coaching staff period. He uses more excuses than any coach I have seen here at WVU in 40 years. It is a mess !

December 11, 2013 at 9:38 pm |

dante

skyler howard has a chance to light it up. he is mobile, has nice arm strength, accuracy, nice deep ball, makes quick decisions, and last but not least, he is a PLAYMAKER. we will have talent every where around him all throughout his career, now all we need is for the o line to keep improving.

December 11, 2013 at 12:15 am |

jonny football x2

I also have seen the walkon, he is next years qb, no doubt.
I hear some knocking on walkons here, yet in the same comments upholding howard who was a walkon at tulane and didn't cut it.
Juco players never pan out, stats are a joke cause the talent is basically hs ball.
Some peoples kids...

December 10, 2013 at 11:57 pm |

Webb

Not sure how Dana's wonderful eye for QB talent should make me think this guy is going to be any better than the ones he's already recruited. This is his 3rd full season as Head Coach and so far he's brought in Childress, Trickett, Rawlins(not even @ WVU), Crest(maybe, still not official) and this JUCO who had offers from Northern nowhere and Southern whocares. Dana wouldn't know what a good QB was if they hit him in the face with a football.

December 10, 2013 at 3:45 pm |

Troll

The key was in your statement, maybe you shouldn't think Mr. Lead Recruiter for who?

December 10, 2013 at 6:24 pm |

TheFungoKnows

A walk-on at SFA? No Div.-1 offers at all? Only 6' tall? Sounds like another Paul Millard.
No thanks.
Desparaton has set in for Holgorsen and Shannon now that Ollie Luck has put them on the spot.

December 10, 2013 at 3:04 pm |

westfair518

Allan, what do you see happening to the other quarterbacks already on the squad?

December 10, 2013 at 1:33 pm |

wvajoker

"I hope one of his innovative new wrinkles is not going for it with 4th and 14!!"

A least, Dana showed more confidence in the team than most of the commenters here. Win or lose they are still out Mounties.

December 10, 2013 at 10:26 am |

1oleWVUfan

WVU's Football Coaching Staff, I hope is finally stable, and I truly believe we finally have a group of quality coaches.

This will be Seider's, Crook's, Gibson's, and Mitchell's first year of recruiting under Holgorsen, and so far things are looking pretty good recruiting wise.

I'd like to see at least two or more 4-Star recruits added to the list of Commits.

Go EERs!

December 10, 2013 at 9:53 am |

HopeWVU

You should get your wish, we have about 4 or 5 more 4 * guys really interested in the program.

First, Millard and Childress are now out of the picture for Starting QB. Second, with Crest not being able to graduate early from high school, he is out of the picture for the Starting QB position at WVU.

So who will WIN the Starting QB position? Trickett is the most likely winner, but is he? It appears that the 'out-lire' or 'wildcard' in this battle is Princeton, WV native and high school QB, McPherson. McPherson is a lefty and comes in at 6'2", 220 lbs. McPherson only played QB his Sop and Jr years in HS for he was out with a hand injury his Sr year.

In the video I watched of McPherson, he hit a deep Corner-Post where he dropped the ball in over the receiver's shoulder. He has touch on his short passes, he can extend plays, he can and will run if there is an opening, Not only did he do these things well, he has the size. With 2014, being his 2nd football Season at WVU, this kid could have a very good shot at the Starting or Back-up QB slot. LIke everyone else, none of us will now which of these 4-QBs will win the Starting and Back-up QB positions. The only thing we can be sure of is that Millard and Childress will not be in the mix.

December 10, 2013 at 9:47 am |

Brian

Thanks for the "post" Mr. McPherson; I'm sure the rest of us our counting the minutes until Greg hits the field and takes us to a National Championship!!

December 11, 2013 at 12:43 pm |

Mister Man

Our?

December 11, 2013 at 6:26 pm |

OldSkool

I wouldn't be too quick to nix Childress. Yeah he is maybe just a little more mobile than Bernie Kosar but he has a big arm. Behind a good offensive line it is hard to say what he could do. Question is, will our O line be improved?

As for watching video on any particular player, did you happen to see FSUs spring game? Trickett completed some nice passes in that game to the corner of the end zone, put some nice touch on the ball. It just didn't translate to game day at WVU. One could expect Trickett to be much improved and compete for the starting spot. For his sake I hope he hits the weight room.

Millard's talents seem best suited for division 1AA. Not likely he will be in the running.

December 10, 2013 at 7:32 pm |

BH

Seriously, your sudden and constant hype of this kid is getting a bit ridiculous, if not embarrassing.

December 10, 2013 at 3:02 pm |

Hesa Duffus

Hello 1oleWVUfan

Excuse me for asking but are you this McPherson kids dad or grandpa!!! enough with promotion of a kid who sat out his senior season.

Please understand. A walk on WILL NOT start at quarterback for West Virginia against Big 12 competition. It is almost impossible for any true freshman to start at quarterback these days let alone a walk on that has missd a season. So please, grampa, give it a rest.

If the kid makes the team and works on his game he MAY see some game action but West Virginia high school victories and not the same as playing against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas , Baylor and so on......

I know you love the kid but PLEASE stop the "High School legend" talk ok

Thank You

December 10, 2013 at 10:54 am |

d.devious

A walk on will not start in the big 12 where do you get your facts from? A freshman walk on started for Texas Tech a big 12 school. Also threw for over 500 yards in his first game.

April 11, 2014 at 11:55 pm |

Offense Help

Rather than accusing the kid of writing reply, try reading article yourself!

O’Bryan’s Corner: Some Quarterback News at WVU

December 9, 2013 / Michael Walker /
Rivals reported today that California’s Riverside Community College quarterback Skyler Howard has verbally committed to WVU. He is a full qualifier and will have four years to play three.

The 6’-0” 205 lb. dual threat Howard is the Mountaineers second quarterback commitment for 2014 and is eligible to enroll after December.

Maryland’s Dunbar High School QB William Crest committed earlier. The 6’-2” 200 lb. Crest is a true drop back quarterback more in the mold of Geno Smith.

Maryland rules do not allow students to graduate early. Crest must wait until the summer semester to enroll.

We all know about Clint Trickett, Paul Millard and Ford Childress, but many don’t know about freshman West Virginia native Gregory McPherson.

If I hadn’t found McPherson’s name on the roster, I wouldn’t have known about the 6′-2″, 220 lb. walk on quarterback. If no one leaves, WVU will have six QBs on the roster for 2014.

This is my prediction: Clint Trickett will win the starting QB position with Howard as his back-up. The wildcard in all of this could be Gregory McPherson.

McPherson played quarterback at Princeton WV High School during his sophomore and junior years.

A hand injury prevented him from playing his senior year. McPherson goes by his middle name Storm, and is a left hander with a strong arm. NCAASports.org has a video here from his junior year in high school.

The true pocket passer completed 42 of 60 passes for 700 yds. and six touchdowns during that year. McPherson also rushed 12 times for 78 yds. and a touchdown.
Until next time

O'Bryans' corner / Tags: Quarterback, WVU |

December 20, 2013 at 11:20 pm |

Now that's funny

Been a while since I've read up on QB situation. The in depth article your talking about is from a writer who literally knows nothing about the game of football. Probably much like yourself, a grandfather, father, perhaps a mother who thinks their child is much better then they actually are.

June 12, 2014 at 11:15 pm |

1oleWVUFan

I have no interest in any of WVU's QBs one way or the other. It is up to them to make the team.

You completely missed the point, which is that this could very well be the 'Wildcard' in all of this.

We all saw Trickett, Childress and Millard play last year, and everyone is raving about Crest and Howard, coming to WVU. McPherson is a site unseen and no one really knows anything about him.

May the BEST player win!!!

December 10, 2013 at 4:39 pm |

Beaver06

We have had QB's better than that kid from across the county and they are not even close to being a Div I QB. Scout team player at best. We need difference makers in Holgs offense not QB's that lead there team to sub .500 records in the state of WV.

December 10, 2013 at 12:56 pm |

Offense Help

Hey Beaver, I don't recall any recent QB at Bluefield going D1 except Will Cole walk on at VT who transferred to Concord who then quit. This kid missed his senior season and still walked on this season at WVU, year longer than Cole. He did play scout team this past season. Don't be a hater just try to keep up with the team.

December 20, 2013 at 11:23 pm |

Beaver 06

The kid missed his senior season because no one wanted him to play QB for their team.

March 25, 2014 at 12:41 pm |

oh wow

I agree with hesa duffus....come on man !.........anyone reading these posts has to see who is behind them.

December 10, 2013 at 12:02 pm |

Robert

The lack of a coach was the biggest problem with WV this year. Looks like this problem will be again for the coming year. WV record for 2014 at best 5 wins no bowls.

December 10, 2013 at 12:12 am |

Troll

Thought this article was about recruiting in which it sounds like staff doing a good job. Anyway if you haven't done so please send in your resume to Mr Luck I'm sure he would be interested in your coaching abilities.